Monroe County Public Records

What Are Public Records in Monroe County?

Public records in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, are defined under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (65 P.S. § 67.102) as any information, regardless of physical form or characteristic, created or received by a Commonwealth agency, local agency, or other public body in connection with a transaction of public business. Members of the public may inspect or obtain copies of a broad range of record types maintained by Monroe County offices, including:

Court records — civil, criminal, probate, and family court filings maintained by the Monroe County Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts
Property records — deeds, mortgages, liens, and assessments maintained by the Recorder of Deeds Office and the Assessment Office
Vital records — birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates maintained by the Monroe County Register of Wills and the Pennsylvania Department of Health
Business records — fictitious name registrations, business licenses, and permits maintained by the Prothonotary and relevant municipal offices
Tax records — property tax bills and assessment records maintained by the Monroe County Tax Claim Bureau and Assessment Office
Voting and election records — voter registration data and election results maintained by the Monroe County Elections Office
Meeting minutes and agendas — county commissioner meetings, board proceedings, and public authority records
Budget and financial documents — annual budgets, audits, and expenditure reports maintained by the Monroe County Finance Office
Law enforcement records — arrest logs and incident reports, where permitted by law, available through the Monroe County Sheriff's Office and Pennsylvania State Police
Land use and zoning records — zoning maps, permits, and variance decisions maintained by municipal planning offices

The Monroe County Open Records Office serves as the central point of contact for public records requests directed to county government agencies.

Is Monroe County an Open Records County?

Monroe County fully complies with the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, which governs public access to government records throughout the Commonwealth. Under 65 P.S. § 67.301, a public record, legislative record, or financial record of a Commonwealth or local agency shall be accessible for inspection and duplication by a requester. The law establishes a presumption of openness, meaning that all records are presumed to be public unless a specific exemption applies.

Key provisions of the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law include:

Agencies must respond to a written request within five business days of receipt
If an agency fails to respond within the required timeframe, the request is deemed denied, and the requester may appeal
Agencies are required to designate an Open Records Officer to receive and process requests

Monroe County has designated an Open Records Officer pursuant to the statute, and the county's policies align with the Commonwealth's Sunshine Act (65 Pa. C.S. § 701 et seq.), which requires that deliberations and official actions of public agencies be conducted at open meetings. The county's official open records policies and request procedures are published through the Monroe County Open Records Office.

How to Find Public Records in Monroe County in 2026

Members of the public seeking access to Monroe County records may follow these steps to submit a request or locate records directly:

Identify the record type and custodial office. Determine which county department maintains the record sought — for example, the Prothonotary for civil court filings, the Recorder of Deeds for land records, or the Register of Wills for probate and vital records.
Submit a written Right-to-Know request. Requests must be submitted in writing to the appropriate agency's Open Records Officer. The standard Pennsylvania Office of Open Records request form is accepted by all county offices and is available through the Monroe County Open Records portal.
Use online search tools where available. The Monroe County Prothonotary offers the civil case docket and judgment index search through the C-Track system, allowing members of the public to search case records by case number, party name, or title without submitting a formal request. Property assessment data is accessible through the Monroe County property search portal.
Visit the appropriate office in person. Members of the public may inspect records during regular business hours at the relevant county office without submitting a formal written request in many instances.
Appeal a denial if necessary. If a request is denied, the requester may appeal to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records within 15 business days of the denial.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Public Records in Monroe County?

Current fees for public records in Monroe County are governed by the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law and the fee schedule established by the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. Standard fees applicable to most requests include:

Paper copies: $0.25 per page for black-and-white letter or legal size copies
Certification of records: An additional fee may apply for certified copies, which varies by office
Specialized records: The Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills offices charge statutory recording and copy fees established under Pennsylvania law, which may differ from standard copy fees
Electronic records: Agencies may charge the actual cost of duplication for electronic records provided on physical media

Under 65 P.S. § 67.1307, the Office of Open Records is authorized to establish a fee schedule for duplication of public records, and agencies may not charge fees that exceed those established by the Office. Accepted payment methods vary by office but generally include cash, check, and money order payable to the County of Monroe. Fee waivers are not broadly established under Pennsylvania law, though agencies retain discretion in individual circumstances.

Does Monroe County Have Free Public Records?

Free inspection of public records is available to members of the public under Pennsylvania law, which does not require payment simply to view records in person. The following resources are currently available at no cost:

In-person inspection: Members of the public may inspect public records at the relevant county office during regular business hours without charge
C-Track civil case search: The Monroe County Prothonotary provides free online access to the Court of Common Pleas civil case docket, allowing searches by case number, party name, or judgment index
Property assessment search: Online access to Monroe County property assessment data is available at no cost through the county's property assessment search tool
Pennsylvania State Police public information reports: Incident and public information release reports for Monroe County are accessible through the Pennsylvania State Police public information release portal
Meeting minutes and agendas: County commissioner meeting minutes, agendas, and financial documents are published on the Monroe County official website at no charge

Fees apply only when copies or certified documents are requested.

Who Can Request Public Records in Monroe County?

Any person may submit a public records request in Monroe County, regardless of residency, citizenship, or stated purpose. The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law does not restrict access to residents of the Commonwealth, and non-residents retain equal rights to request public records. Specific eligibility provisions include:

No residency requirement: Requesters are not required to be Pennsylvania residents or Monroe County residents
No identification requirement: Requesters are generally not required to provide identification when submitting a Right-to-Know request
No purpose requirement: Requesters are not required to state the reason for their request for most public records
Requesting your own records: Individuals seeking records pertaining to themselves, such as criminal history or personal files, may be subject to additional identity verification requirements depending on the record type and custodial agency
Restrictions for specific record types: Certain records, such as adoption records, juvenile court records, and sealed court files, are subject to access restrictions regardless of the requester's identity and may require a court order or demonstrated legal standing

Organizations, businesses, and legal entities may also submit public records requests under the same framework applicable to individual requesters.

What Records Are Confidential in Monroe County?

Certain categories of records are exempt from public disclosure under Pennsylvania law and are not accessible through standard Right-to-Know requests. The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law at 65 P.S. § 67.708 enumerates specific exemptions, including but not limited to:

Sealed court records — records sealed by judicial order are not subject to public disclosure
Juvenile records — records pertaining to juvenile proceedings are confidential under Pennsylvania law
Ongoing investigation records — records compiled in connection with a criminal investigation or prosecution that could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings
Personal identifying information — Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and similar data are redacted or withheld
Medical and health records — records protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Pennsylvania health privacy statutes
Adoption records — adoption proceedings and related records are sealed under Pennsylvania law
Child welfare and protective services records — records maintained by child protective services agencies are confidential
Personnel records — employee home addresses, personal telephone numbers, and similar information are exempt, though certain employment-related records remain public
Trade secrets and proprietary business information — confidential commercial or financial information submitted to a government agency
Security plans and infrastructure details — records relating to the security of public buildings, infrastructure, or emergency response plans

Where a record contains both exempt and non-exempt information, agencies are required to redact the exempt portions and provide access to the remainder, consistent with the balancing framework established under Pennsylvania law.

Monroe County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours

The Monroe County Recorder of Deeds Office maintains the official public land records of Monroe County, including deeds, mortgages, liens, and related instruments. Members of the public may inspect land records in person during regular business hours or submit requests in writing.

Monroe County Recorder of Deeds One Quaker Plaza, Suite 101, Stroudsburg, PA 18360 (570) 517-3370 Monroe County Recorder of Deeds

Public counter hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Monroe County Open Records Office One Quaker Plaza, Stroudsburg, PA 18360 (570) 517-3009 Monroe County Open Records

Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Monroe County Prothonotary One Quaker Plaza, Suite 201, Stroudsburg, PA 18360 (570) 517-3360 Monroe County Prothonotary